Struvite precipitation for ammonia nitrogen removal in 7-aminocephalosporanic acid wastewater

Molecules. 2012 Feb 21;17(2):2126-39. doi: 10.3390/molecules17022126.

Abstract

7-Aminocephalosporanic acid wastewater usually contains high concentrations of ammonium (NH₄⁺-N), which is known to inhibit nitrification during biological treatment processes. Chemical precipitation is a useful technology to remove ammonium from wastewater. In this paper, the removal of ammonium from 7-aminocephalosporanic acid wastewater was studied. The optimum pH, molar ratio, and various chemical compositions of magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) precipitation were investigated. The results indicated that ammonium in 7-aminocephalosporanic acid wastewater could be removed at an optimum pH of 9. The Mg²⁺:NH₄⁺-N:PO₄ ³⁻-P molar ratio was readily controlled at a ratio of 1:1:1.1 to both effectively remove ammonium and avoid creating a higher concentration of PO₄ ³⁻-P in the effluent. MgCl₂·6H₂O + 85% H₃PO₄ was the most efficient combination for NH₄⁺-N removal. Furthermore, the lowest concentration of the residual PO₄ ³⁻-P was obtained with the same combination. Struvite precipitation could be considered an effective technology for the NH₄⁺-N removal from the 7-aminocephalosporanic acid wastewater.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ammonia / chemistry*
  • Cephalosporins / chemistry*
  • Chemical Precipitation
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Magnesium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Nitrogen / chemistry*
  • Phosphates / chemistry*
  • Struvite
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*

Substances

  • Cephalosporins
  • Magnesium Compounds
  • Phosphates
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Ammonia
  • 7-aminocephalosporanic acid
  • Struvite
  • Nitrogen